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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26669167">It's Better This Way</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixeledPurple/pseuds/PixeledPurple'>PixeledPurple</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Transformers - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Break Up, Graphic Description of Injuries, Happy Ending, Jazz is an Idiot, Ratchet shows up for a klik, Sad Prowl, The Injuries are Unrelated to the Break Up</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:34:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,302</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26669167</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixeledPurple/pseuds/PixeledPurple</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jazz breaks up with Prowl, Prowl doesn't understand why.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jazz/Prowl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>100</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It's Better This Way</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So, this was actually supposed to be one of my drabbles but it got entirely too long so.  It might be a bit OOC?  But it's stupid and cute and I liked it too much to not post so.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Prowl didn’t say anything, just stared at him.</p>
<p>"I’m sorry Prowl."</p>
<p>"What led you to this decision?" he asked carefully.</p>
<p>"It’s nothing ya did.  I mean, ya didn’t do anything wrong or anything.  I-I like ya, I do.  But… we want different things."</p>
<p>"Jazz, if this is about that party-"</p>
<p>"No, Prowl," Jazz lifted a hand, as if he was going to touch him, but aborted.  "I told ya, it’s not anything ya did.  We’re just too different for this to work."</p>
<p>"It has been working, Jazz.  I know we are different, but even you have said we compliment each other.  That was just a decacycle ago, what has changed since then?"</p>
<p>Jazz smiled at him, "Please don’t take this personally Prowl."</p>
<p>"How do I not?  You are breaking up with me Jazz," he wasn’t even mad.  He wanted to be, but it was just such a shock.  Just a few nights ago they had sat in his quarters, watching a movie.  Everything had been wonderful.  At least Prowl thought it had.  He had never been the best at reading social situations, but it had never seemed to bother Jazz.  He had always been completely open and upfront with him about his feelings.  Prowl couldn’t understand why Jazz would suddenly break up with him.</p>
<p>"I know.  But hey, at least ya won’t have to see me on base every day.  I’m transferring to Tyger Pax."</p>
<p>"Is that why?  Because you got transferred?"  That would make sense, at least.  "I’m willing to try and make it work Jazz…  I know long distance is hard, but I-"</p>
<p>"Prowl, I requested the transfer."</p>
<p>Oh.  "To not have to be near me."</p>
<p>"Don’t say it like that Prowl.  Just thought it’d be easier if we didn’t haveta see each other everyday."</p>
<p>"Right," Prowl couldn’t look at him anymore.  It hurt.  Despite his better judgement, he had let himself fall in love with Jazz.  And now… "I have work to do," he said simply, knowing it was a poor excuse.</p>
<p>"Course.  I’ll see ya 'round Prowler," Jazz said, turning to leave.</p>
<p>Prowl looked up just in time to see him leave the cafeteria.  He had half a joor left on his break.  He spent the rest of his time string down at his cube.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Jazz left just a few cycles later.  Prowl hated the looks of pity he got, the invitations to have energon from mechs who rarely spoke with him.  He knew they felt sorry for him.  And he knew they were being obvious if even he recognized it.  He turned them all down, ignoring the looks, the pity.  Instead, he threw himself into his work, even more than before.<p>Pretty soon things went back to normal.  The normal he had before Jazz.  He told himself it was all he needed.  He had been happy before Jazz, nothing had changed.  But in his spark, he knew that wasn’t true, he had changed.  He wanted more now.</p>
<p>A few deca cycles passed, and Prowl was, as always, working in his office when he received a ping from Ratchet to report to the medbay.  They had just had nearly half a dozen injured transferred in from Altihex so he figured there was a security issue.</p>
<p>Ratchet hadn’t mentioned specifics, so he ran through the possibilities.  He wasn’t security, so it wasn’t an immediate threat.  It could be a bot with classified information, or someone who needed temporary security clearance.  The one thing he had not been expecting, was to see Jazz.  It took everything he had to not turn and walk out of the room.  But no, he was here for a reason.  Prowl was going to do his job and not let Jazz distract him.  That was hard when Ratchet was the one he needed to speak to and was currently treating Jazz.</p>
<p>"You needed to see me Ratchet?" he asked, completely ignoring the mech laying on the berth.</p>
<p>"Hey Prowler," Jazz apparently wasn’t willing to give him the same courtesy as he reached for his hand.</p>
<p>Prowl moved away, making a point of not looking at him.</p>
<p>"I’ll leave you two alone then," Ratchet said, walking away.</p>
<p>"What?  No, I-"  Prowl protested, but Ratchet was already through the door.</p>
<p>"Prowl?"</p>
<p>Prowl composed himself before turning around.  "<i>You</i> needed to see me then?" Prowl asked, keeping his face and tone void of any emotion.</p>
<p>Jazz actually had the gall to smile at him.  "Prowl, I didn’t think I’d ever see ya again."</p>
<p>"As I recall, that was your decision."</p>
<p>"Sit?" Jazz’s tone was pleading.</p>
<p>"If you have something to discus with me, please do so.  Otherwise, I have more important matters to attend to."</p>
<p>Jazz was quiet for a moment.  Prowl was just debating how long he should wait before leaving when the other finally spoke, "I didn’t request a transfer."</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"I’m sorry Prowl.  I didn’t wanna hurt ya."</p>
<p>"Jazz, you are not now, nor have you ever had any obligation to be in a personal relationship with me.  If you asked me here simply to apologize-"</p>
<p>"Prowl I got sent undercover."</p>
<p>"What?" distantly, it occurred to Prowl that he could probably be more eloquent with his words.</p>
<p>"I got assigned a mission I didn’t expect to come back from.  I didn’t want ya to get hurt, so I figured… I just thought it was for the best."</p>
<p>Prowl stared at him.  For the first time, he noticed the condition the other was in.  His visor was cracked, and only the right side was lit, he had a huge weld down his hood, his left arm was completely gone, and three of his tires where shredded.  He was covered in dried energon and soot, and more of his plating was dented than not.  The fact that he hadn’t so much as sat up spoke more than all of that though.</p>
<p>"I’m not expecting ya to forgive me or anythin’.  And I don’t expect ya to take me back Prowl.  But, I never wanted…" he trailed off.</p>
<p>Prowl had never checked Jazz’s transfer orders, he had never thought to.  "Are you telling me that…" he couldn’t quite say those words, "that your orders were for a suicide mission?"</p>
<p>Jazz did his best to shrug, "Pretty much.  Infiltrate a Con base, get the data sent over, blow it up if possible.  But it came with a fancy new kill switch installed in my processor and no extraction plans so.</p>
<p>"I really didn’t mean to hurt ya Prowl," Jazz said, again trying to reach for his hand.</p>
<p>Prowl took a step closer without thinking about it.</p>
<p>Jazz smiled as their fingers touched.</p>
<p>Prowl frowned, "So you decided to break up with me?"</p>
<p>"Ya woulda tried to stop me Prowl-"</p>
<p>"You are an idiot."</p>
<p>Jazz blinked at him, "I-"</p>
<p>"I cannot believe-  Do you-" Prowl was seething.  "You really believed this was a good idea?"</p>
<p>"So y’re mad?"</p>
<p>He was furious.  Prowl turned, storming out of the room.</p>
<p>Jazz let his head fall back onto the berth.  He had expected Prowl to be mad, he reminded himself.  Still, almost getting himself slagged had made him hope…</p>
<p>Jazz startled as Prowl stormed back in.  He marched over to his berth without a word and kissed him.  Jazz was too shocked to even react for a moment, but then he reached up with his one arm, pulling Prowl closer, kissing him back.</p>
<p>Prowl pulled away entirely to soon, "I am glad you are not dead."</p>
<p>Jazz beamed at him, "Thanks Prowler!"</p>
<p>"But when Ratchet lets you out of here, I will kill you myself."</p>
<p>"Still mad?" Jazz’s grin didn’t fade.  Neither did Prowl’s scowl.  "I love ya too sweetspark."</p>
<p>Prowl stalked out of the room without another word.</p>
<p>Jazz sighed happily, settling back in as he waited for Ratchet to come back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and Kudos always welcome!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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